Student Council is an organization for students to be directly involved with different events, topics, or activities. At James Caldwell High School and several high schools across America, you have to be elected in order to have a position on the council. As a Student Council representative for 12th Grade, I currently participate in both Student and Class Council meetings. Our advisor, Mr. Braddell, does a great job leading and guiding us through all of the events that our club runs. Although I have never run for a higher position, I have always wondered how much power one actually holds by taking part in student council. At our school, we hold regular meetings where we mainly discuss the planning and execution of certain events. However, as a student body, I think we want more. 

I believe the student council should be more of a liaison between students and the administration. I feel that some students are a bit intimidated by our administration because they think that the administration’s only duty is to punish us. However, the administration is full of approachable people who are here for us. Communication is necessary for the members of the student council and administration to be able to hold events and share ideas in a way where everyone is heard. Having this key communication would promote more active participation throughout the school. I decided to reach out to the Vice President of the Student Council at West Essex High School, Mike Aktas. He went on to tell me how, “At West Essex, our administration allows us to have a large say in the way our school functions.” He also mentioned how, “…we also have Superintendent meetings multiple times a year in which our Superintendent, Mr. Macioci is present and we are able to give our input to him directly.”  Like West Essex, we could have meetings with the superintendent of our Board of Education in order to address certain issues and opportunities for all students to be equally represented at James Caldwell High School. 

Overall, I strongly believe that the Student Council should have more representation throughout administrative duties. By having this power, it could help students create a stronger bond between the members of administration and the council. As a member of Student Council, it is partly my job to make sure that all students have a say in matters that go on in our school, and the first step of allowing this to happen is giving the members of Student Council more of a say on different executive decisions.